Bodywork Won’t Fix Your Horse
While it might seem like a stupid thing for a bodyworker to tell you - bodywork absolutely will not “fix” your horse. Us bodyworkers are magical, but we aren’t that kind of magic. So, let’s address the elephant in the room first… I don’t like the concept that a horse needs to be “fixed” to begin with. Throw it out. Some horses need support while they recover, some need restrictive tension addressed, some are imbalanced and asymmetrical, some have poor posture, but whatever the case is - your horse isn’t broken, and doesn’t need “fixing” even if they’re facing retirement.
What can bodywork do for your horse?
Improve posture
Help to correct imbalances
Improve range of motion (ROM)
Ease anxiety
Promote recovery
Facilitate healing
Bodywork is amazing, I won’t deny that, but we aren’t fixing problems. We are working with your horse’s body, nervous system, and energy to facilitate their own healing and wellness. We can help the body do what it was designed to do, but the bodywork itself is not a solution. In fact, it can act as more of a bandaid in the wrong situations. As a bodyworker, I have worked with horses against their routine training and management situations, constantly trying to relieve tension and stay ahead of the curve. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of moving parts when it comes to overall health and wellness, and while bodywork can be an important piece, it won’t mitigate what training and management are doing to them.
Bodyworkers can’t diagnose your horse. While we can find things that indicate xyz, we cannot draw conclusions, make definitive statements, or formally diagnose your horse.
Bodywork can’t undo years of tension and compensation in one session. The process of unwinding tension is a long one. Think about how long it takes to build and set these movement patterns, asymmetries, etc. (often years) - you can’t expect your bodyworker to come in for one session, get your horse back to “normal,” and never have them back again. Change takes time.
Bodywork can’t fix poor riding. This one might sting, and I’m sorry, but it’s true. We can’t mitigate the effects of an unbalanced, handsy, spur happy, draw rein using, starfish kicking, whatever the case rider. The fact is that amateurs exist and are the majority of horse owners. And that’s okay! Honestly, I deal with a lot of pros who also have their own imbalances, asymmetries, and weak points. We’re all humans. The point here is that your horse getting routine bodywork will help the situation in terms of maintaining them even though they have a rider that isn’t 100% perfect 100% of the time. The rider’s job is to work on them, and the bodyworker’s job is to help the horse feel and move their best in spite of the rider - but no matter what the bodyworker does, riding style will affect the horse’s body and carriage.
Bodywork can’t fix poor farriery. We’ve all heard the saying “no hoof, no horse” and it’s so common for a reason. It’s true. I’ve seen hoof angles change pelvic tilts, shoulder angle, posture, tendon health, muscle tension, ROM, movement patterns, attitude, ALL THE THINGS. Farriery will affect everything within and above the hooves, and that includes the soft tissues. Bodyworkers can help a horse recover from poor farriery, adjust to new hoof angles, and even help your horse while they currently have poor feet - but bodywork will not mitigate the effects of poor farriery and prevent it from affecting your horse at all.
Bodywork won’t make up for poor management. Bodywork is one factor of health and management. There are so many considerations and pieces of the puzzle that it would be ridiculous to think that bodywork can make up for skipping turnout, poor diet, harmful training practices, stressful environments, or any other negative impacts. Bodywork is complementary to proper care, it does not replace proper care.
Bodywork won’t fix ill-fitting tack. Unfortunately, there’s still enough misinformation and poorly trained professionals (or those simply lacking morals for a good bottom line) leading to poorly made and ill-fitting tack to still be a big problem in the horse industry. Ill-fitting tack WILL negatively affect your horse’s body, movement, posture, and work ethic. You can do some serious damage with bad saddles, pads, bridles, and bits. And what I can’t do as a bodyworker is fix that damage. If you routinely use ill-fitting tack, having a bodyworker out regularly won’t undo that damage. We can help your horse heal once you remove or replace that tack, but we can’t fight a losing battle and make your horse magically unaffected by these things.
Bodywork is great. It’s an integral part of training, maintenance, and health. But it’s not magic in the “mitigate effects of things I won’t change.” It’s complementary to appropriate management, and training. While it can improve things like posture and movement, it won’t be nearly as effective if you’re not doing your part with tack, farriery, and care. Don’t make your bodyworker be that guy pushing a boulder up a hill, work with them - you’re on the same team and all they want is what’s best for your horse. Be realistic, be open, and put your horse first.